Citizen-run free Kitab Ghar rekindles fading library culture in Pakistan’s Karachi

The collage of images created on November 7, 2024, shows (left) the signboard of the citizen-run free Kitab Ghar and (right) a book club meeting at Kitab Ghar in Karachi on October 21, 2024. (AN photo and Areeba Fatima)
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Updated 07 November 2024
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Citizen-run free Kitab Ghar rekindles fading library culture in Pakistan’s Karachi

  • Facility that opened last month is sister concern of Kitab Ghar Lahore, launched in 2021
  • In coming weeks, library has organized events on a range of topics from politics to art

KARACHI: In a quiet, old bungalow near the Sindhi Muslim Food Street and the famed Zahid Nihari restaurant on Tariq Road, a new space in Karachi offers a rare kind of nourishment: a feast for the mind. 

Launched last month, the citizen-run free Kitab Ghar Karachi is more than just a library but aims to inspire people, especially young curious minds to read, think critically, and engage in intellectual conversations, cultivating creativity and renewing the exchange of ideas in a country where such spaces are quietly disappearing.

Kitab Ghar seeks to revive a library culture that was vibrant until the 1990s, when book houses in places like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad drew students, writers and literary enthusiasts, particularly during the dynamic literary decades of the 1970s and 1980s.

Before the digital era, libraries were among the few trusted sources for books, research and periodicals but the spread of online resources and the Pakistani state’s limited prioritization of these intellectual sanctuaries have gradually led to a decline.

“We want people to come to the library and start that [reading] culture again in Pakistan,” Areeba Fatima, one of the co-founders of the free library, told Arab News.




Co-founder of Kitab Ghar, Areeba Fatima (center), poses for a picture with her colleagues at the library in Karachi, Pakistan, on October 19, 2024 (Areeba Fatima)

Beyond providing a serene reading environment, she said, Kitab Ghar Karachi wanted to cultivate a community of thinkers and doers by hosting regular events and discussions on a range of topics, from politics to art.

“We want to foster, nourish and develop communities of people who being at a public library enjoy interacting,” Fatima added. 

Karachi’s Kitab Ghar is the sister library of one in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, launched in 2021, and the brainchild of Fatima’s friend Zara Suhail Mannan, who completed four years of education at Yale University and came back with the concept of combining reading with community development.




The picture taken on November 4, 2024, shows a board reading "By The People, For the People" at the gate of Kitab Ghar in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN photo)

“She thought that we were going to set up a public library and community space together, which made a lot of sense to me,” Fatima, who was then a student at Lahore University of Management Sciences, recalled.

With the help of a third friend, Airas Qadir, Mannan and Fatima started collaborating with civil society organizations, and finally Mannan rented a space for Kitab Ghar in Lahore, where readers come to read books and where regular events are held. That model is now being replicated in the southern port city of Karachi, where the library was launched on Oct. 19.

“When we all found ourselves in Karachi, we decided to open Kitab Ghar Karachi,” said Fatima. 

Like the Lahore space, the library in Karachi is also funded by patrons who each donate between $18 and $90 per month.

Muazzam Ali Tahir, a patron, and regular visitor who recently moved from Islamabad to Karachi for work, said he was looking for a place where he could both read and work.

“When I was studying abroad, libraries were like a key place where people could go,” he said. “People could also hang out, work and collaborate with each other.” 




Muazzam Ali Tahir is reading a book at Kitab Ghar Library in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 4, 2024 (AN photo)

Javeria Naeem, 20, who runs a fashion business, is also a regular visitor.

“I’ve always loved Kitab Ghar Lahore, so I was thrilled about its Karachi chapter,” she said, adding that other libraries she visited often lacked a “sense of community.”

“It’s not an isolated, boring place with just books like most libraries,” she added. “It’s lively and makes you feel great.”




The picure taken on November 4, 2024, shows a map in the library in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN photo)

Syed Abdur Raffay Shah, 19, an artist and designer, said he was a regular visitor of the place, describing Kitab Ghar as a “unique experience.”

“I used to spend over 12 hours in libraries just studying and relaxing, but this one stands out with its welcoming atmosphere,” he said. “It has a special communal feel, as if everyone here is contributing to restoring Pakistan’s educational landscape.”

The library has several events planned in the coming weeks.

“We can generate a conversation on blasphemy or feminism or other topics which are very significant, so that is what we are trying to do,” Fatima, the co-founder, said, adding that the “mission” that began in Lahore would continue beyond Karachi.

“We will make more Kitab Ghar libraries in different cities of the country as we aim to create a Pakistan where people read, think and discuss, where people are politically mature and where they matter the most.” 


Pakistan will continue to play ‘constructive role’ for Middle East peace, PM Sharif tells US

Updated 16 sec ago
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Pakistan will continue to play ‘constructive role’ for Middle East peace, PM Sharif tells US

  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, says Sharif’s office
  • Both agreed to continue working closely to strengthen Pakistan-US ties, particularly through enhanced trade, says PMO

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, telling him Islamabad will continue to play a “constructive role” to bring peace in the Middle East, the Pakistani premier’s office said amid regional tensions following the Iran-Israel military conflict.

The 12-day war between Iran and Israel began on June 13 after Israel carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, killing several senior military commanders and scientists, while officials in Tehran were engaged in nuclear negotiations with the US. The conflict worsened when before the ceasefire announced by Trump, US forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites last week. The American president claimed the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program by years.

Pakistan had remained engaged in talks with regional partners Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Qatar and other states to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. Sharif said on Thursday Tehran had thanked Pakistan’s political and military leadership for playing a constructive role during the war.

“While exchanging views on the current situation in the Middle East, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role for bringing peace to the Middle East,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.

“While appreciating these efforts, Secretary Rubio said the US would like to work with Pakistan for promoting peace and stability to the region.”

Pakistan and India also engaged in a days-long conflict last month before US President Donald Trump announced on May 10 that both countries had agreed to a ceasefire. India and Pakistan had pounded each other with missiles, fighter jets, artillery fire and drone strikes during the four days of conflict that killed over 70 on both sides.

Pakistan has repeatedly thanked Trump for his mediation during the crisis and decided to formally nominate him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The American president has claimed he convinced both sides to back down by threatening not to do a trade deal with them.

During their conversation, Sharif thanked Rubio for the “key role” Washington played in the Pakistan-India ceasefire, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

“The Prime Minister and Secretary Rubio agreed to continue working closely to strengthen Pakistan-US relations particularly through enhanced trade,” the statement said.

While the May 10 ceasefire continues to persist between the nuclear-armed nations, tensions simmer as New Delhi refuses to budge from its earlier stance of suspending a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan.

Pakistan has said any attempts to stop or divert its flow of water by India will be regarded as an “act of war” and will be responded to with full force.


Pakistani stocks decline by 715 points over profit-taking after two days of gains

Updated 26 June 2025
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Pakistani stocks decline by 715 points over profit-taking after two days of gains

  • KSE-100 Index closes at 122,046.46 points, witnessing a decline of 0.58 percent, as per stock market data
  • Profit-taking driven by fiscal year-end considerations, short-term portfolio rebalancing, says financial analyst

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a bearish trend on Thursday after two days of gains, losing 715.18 points to close at 122,046.46 points, which a financial analyst attributed to profit-taking driven by fiscal year-end considerations.

The PSX closed at 122,046.46 points when trading ended on Thursday, witnessing a negative change of 0.58 percent. The KSE-100 had closed at 122,761.64 points on Wednesday and before that on Tuesday, it surged by 6,079 points or 5.23 percent to close at 122,246 points. Analysts attributed the surge on Tuesday to the ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel.

As many as 473 companies transacted their shares in the stock market on Thursday, with 200 of them recording gains and 237 sustaining losses, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said, adding that the share price of 36 companies remained unchanged.

“After two consecutive sessions of strong gains, the local bourse witnessed a round of profit-taking today, driven by fiscal year-end considerations and short-term portfolio rebalancing,” Maaz Mulla, the vice president of equity sales at Topline Securities Limited, said in a statement.

Mulla said the benchmark KSE-100 index saw a “volatile ride“— climbing 656 points intraday before losing 715 points at close of business. He said the closing figure of 122,046 points reflected “a cautious investor mood” as the quarter draws to a close.

He said despite the decline at the end of the day, the overall market activity remained “vibrant.”

“Total traded volume clocked in at 750 million shares, with a traded value of PKR 29.8 billion,” Mulla said.

APP reported that the three top trading companies on Thursday were Pak Int. Bulk with 37,503,501 shares traded at Rs 8.52 per share, WorldCall Telecom with 33,285,442 shares at Rs 1.45 per share and Pervez Ahmed Co. with 32,962,174 shares at Rs 3.29 per share.


Pakistan’s National Assembly passes $62 billion budget for next fiscal year

Updated 26 June 2025
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Pakistan’s National Assembly passes $62 billion budget for next fiscal year

  • Budget reflects Pakistan’s attempt to balance security concerns with fiscal reform efforts under $7 billion IMF loan program
  • Government has aimed to reduce fiscal deficit to 3.9% of GDP for next year’s budget, increase defense spending by over 20%

ISLAMABAD: The lower house of Pakistan’s parliament passed the federal budget for the next fiscal year on Thursday, which has a total outlay of Rs17.57 trillion [$62 billion] and projects economic growth at 4.2%, state-run media reported.

The federal government unveiled the federal budget on June 10, which reflects a 7% decrease in overall spending compared to the current fiscal year. The largest portion of the budget – Rs8.21 trillion ($29 billion), or nearly half of total expenditures – will go toward debt servicing, continuing to strain Pakistan’s fiscal space.

Another salient feature of the budget is Pakistan’s move to increase defense spending by more than 20% in the 2025-26 fiscal year to Rs2.55 trillion ($9.04 billion). Islamabad seeks to bolster military capabilities following Pakistan’s worst confrontation with India in nearly three decades in May.

“The National Assembly has passed the federal budget for the next fiscal year, with a total outlay of 17,573 billion rupees, focusing on sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.

The House passed the budget with certain amendments, giving effect to the federal government’s proposals for the financial year set to begin from July 1.

The bill was read out in the National Assembly and approved clause by clause before the session was adjourned until 11 am, Friday.

Pakistan remains under a $7 billion IMF loan program approved last year, and the budget reflects an attempt to balance security concerns with ongoing fiscal reform efforts.

The government has aimed to reduce the fiscal deficit to 3.9% of the GDP for the next year’s budget. While it has projected a growth of 4.2% for the upcoming year, Pakistan’s economy grew just 2.6% in 2024/25, falling short of its 3.6% target due to weak agriculture and industrial output. Inflation has been projected for next year’s budget at 7.5%.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s main tax authority, has been tasked with collecting Rs14.1 trillion of the projected Rs19.3 trillion in gross revenue in the budget, marking a 19% year-on-year increase.

While announcing the budget on June 10, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had announced plans to grow IT exports to $25 billion over the next five years and forecast a rise in workers’ remittances to $38 billion by the end of the current fiscal year.


Pakistan issues rain and flood alert for multiple regions from June 26–28

Updated 26 June 2025
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Pakistan issues rain and flood alert for multiple regions from June 26–28

  • Rains lashed Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province over last 24 hours, killing at least four and injuring 19
  • Disaster management authority calls for drain clearance, deployment of emergency services measures

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued a rain and flood alert for multiple regions in the country from June 26-28, warning local authorities to ensure preemptive measures are in place with the monsoon season expected to trigger heavy downpours in the coming days. 

The Pakistan Meteorological (Met) Department forecast on Monday that several parts of the country are expected to receive heavy monsoon rains from June 25 onwards, urging masses to take precautions against the resulting flash floods and landslides in low lying and hilly areas. Rains have also lashed Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province over the last 24 hours, the provincial disaster management authority said on Thursday, killing at least four people and injuring 19 in rain-related incidents. 

“National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of NDMA has issued impact-based alerts due to expected widespread monsoon rainfall and associated flooding risks across several regions of Pakistan from 26th to 28th June,” the NDMA said in a press release. 

It said heavy rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms are likely in multiple districts of Punjab including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Islamabad cities.

“Urban flooding is particularly expected in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan, with possible disruption of transportation, drainage overflow and interruption of essential services,” the statement said. 

The disaster management authority said urban flooding is anticipated in Sindh’s Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Jamshoro, Shahid Benazirabad, and Sujawal cities due to rain and thunderstorm with isolated and heavy falls in the same period.

It said widespread moderate to heavy rainfall may affect Jacobabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Nawabshah, Khairpur, Kashmore, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Badin in Sindh, posing threats of waterlogging, road blockages, and infrastructure damage.

“In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, and Battagram may experience moderate to heavy rainfall with possible flash flooding and landslides, particularly in vulnerable mountainous terrain,” the NDMA warned. 

It said in Azad Kashmir, including Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Rawalakot, Haveli, and Hattian Bala, the forecast predicts moderate to heavy rainfall with the risk of flash floods, landslides, and riverine overflow. It said the Potohar region is also likely to be affected by similar weather patterns.

“NEOC has advised all provincial and district disaster management authorities to ensure preemptive measures such as drain clearance, public adviseries, deployment of emergency services, and readiness for evacuation or rescue operations where needed,” the disaster management authority said. 

It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement. 

The authority called on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential response operations, urging people to stay updated with real-time alerts and guidance from the official NDMA mobile application. 

The NDMA’s warning comes as Pakistan braces for another season of extreme weather, following deadly heatwaves and catastrophic floods in recent years. Ranked among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Pakistan is ramping up preparedness efforts, especially in Punjab, where authorities expect significantly above-average rainfall this monsoon.


Pakistan grouped with Saudi Arabia, Iraq in AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers

Updated 26 June 2025
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Pakistan grouped with Saudi Arabia, Iraq in AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers

  • Thirty-one international teams to partake in qualifiers from Sept. 20-24
  • AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested in Jan. 27-Feb. 7

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s football team has been selected in Group D along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Chinese Taipei for the qualifiers of the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed on Thursday.

Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation for the 11th qualifiers, which will take place between September 20 to 24. The draw has divided the teams into eight groups— seven groups of four and one group of three— with each to be played in a centralized league format.

“Our journey to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 begins in Group D, sharing the pitch with hosts Saudi Arabia,” the PFF wrote on social media platform X.

“An exciting draw that sets the stage for some incredible matches. Time to prepare!“

India are in Group A with Kuwait, Australia and Mongolia while top seeds Thailand will have to contend with Korea Republic, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam in Group B.

Four-time winners Japan are the top seeds in Group C with hosts Tajikistan, Macau and Cambodia their challengers. Group E will see Vietnam, Lebanon, hosts China and Hong Kong face each other while Group F includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts), Timor-Leste and Palestine.

Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are part of Group G while Afghanistan, Myanmar and Maldives are part of Group H.

The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested from January 27-February 7.